Guarded mine lamp



April 3, 1956 A. SHAClKOSKl GUARDED MINE LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 23, 1 953 m R m S 0V m H C a m w b m 9% W .M M m Q M n w Ii J (/4 I- n f M a .L if m l| ll A l m F GUARDED MINE LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1955 m 4 2 SE 4 2/ 2 /6 0V 1 mm c Q M S 0 2 W 3 6 3 c m w 2 \4 A m m ii w p. 0 l 4 /44/M 5 5 0 0. F a 5 5 /%m V w 5 a Z r 0 f 5 a 5 l E: l. e I 3 l I w 8 0 6 2 2% 34 M a Fig. 2

United States Patent GUARDED MINE LAMP Anthony Shacikoski, Avonmore, Pa. Application April 23, 1953, Serial No. 350,713

2 Claims. ((Il. 24010.6)

This invention relates in general to lighting equipment, and more specifically to a guard for mine lamps.

in compliance with mine safety laws mine cars are provided with tail lamps to indicate their positions within the mines. However, on numerous occasions the tail lamps have been broken or otherwise extinguished while within the mine with the result that it is necessary for the mine car to make a trip out of the mine Without the safety feature of a proper tail lamp. Inasmuch as every miner carries a miners lamp, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved mine lamp guard in which may be conveniently positioned a miners lamp, said guard being provided with a clip for convenient attachment to the rear end of a mine car whereby the same may function as a safety or tail lamp.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mine lamp guard in the form of a two piece housing including a base and a cap hingedly connected together, said base and cap having proportions so that a miners lamp, including the battery case and lamp unit may be conveniently positioned and clamped therein when the base and cap are in their interlocked'positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mine lamp guard which is of a relatively simple construction and which is formed of readily obtainable materials so as to be'economically feasible whereby extra guards may be conveniently distributed about a mine at a minimum of cost.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved lamp guard intended for use with miners lamps, said lamp guard including a housing adapted to receive a battery case and lamp unit of a miners lamp, said housing having mounted on one end thereof in alignment with a lamp unit a ray projecting portion in the form of a cage which permits the escape of light from a lamp unit, the cage having one end thereof closed by a lens in direct alignment with the lamp unit.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of the mine lamp guard and shows the same with a miners lamp mounted therein, the mine lamp guard being mounted on the rear end of a mine car, only a fragmentary portion of the mine car being illustrated;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the mine lamp guard and shows the general construction of the same, the miners lamp being omitted;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the mine lamp guard similar to Figure 1 with the cap pivoted with respect to the base of a housing, the battery case and lamp unit of the miners lamp being omitted;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through substantially the center of the mine lamp guard and shows the relationship of the miners lamp disposed therein;

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Figure 5 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 3 and ShOWs the general cross section of the base of the mine lamp guard;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6--6 of Figure 4 and shows the general cross section of the cap; and

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 7--7 of Figure 4 and shows the general cross section of the cage which forms a major part of the ray projecting portion of the mine lamp guard.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the mine lamp guard, which is the subject of this invention, is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The mine lamp guard 10 includes a housing formed by a base, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12, and a cap, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 14.

The base 12 includes a generally U-shaped frame member which is formed of a lower horizontal member 16, a first vertical leg 18 and a second vertical leg 20. The lower horizontal member 16 forms the bottom of the base 12 whereas the legs 18 and 20 form sides thereof. The base 12 also includes a pair of vertically' spaced generally rectangular straps 22 and 24 which are secured to the legs 18 and 9 0 and form the enclosing portions of the base 12. It will be understood that the cross section of the interiors of the straps 22 and 24 is such that the battery case of a miners lamp will immediately fit therein.

The cap 14 includes a generally rectangular upper frame member 26 which has depending from opposite sides thereof legs 28 and 30.

The leg 2tl extends vertically above the leg 18 and has a thickened upper portion 32. The thickened upper portion 32 of the leg 20 terminates in a pair of upstanding lugs 34 which are transversely spaced and positioned inwardly of the front and rear edges of the enlarged portion 32. As is best illustrated in Figure 6, the so-called leg 28 is actually three legs disposed in transversely spaced relation. The legs 28 are so proportioned that the lugs 34 of the leg 20 extends therebetween. Passing through the legs 28 and the lugs 34 is a transverse pivot pin 36 which hingedly connects the cap 14 to the base 12.

The leg 30 of the cap 14 depends below the leg 28 and terminates in an outwardly directed lug 38. The length of the leg 30 is such that the lug is disposed coplanar with the strap 24 when the cap 14 is in its proper position relative to the base 12.

As is best illustrated in Figure 5, the strap 24 terminates in a pair of outwardly directed, spaced parallel lugs 40. The lugs 40 are positioned to receive the lug 38 and have transverse apertures 42 therein. The lug 38 is also provided with a transverse aperture 44 which is alignable with the apertures 42. The mine lamp bracket 10 includes a locking pin 46 engageable through the apertures 42 and 44. The pin 46 is retained in the apertures by a removable cotter key 48. The frame member 26 includes an enlarged central portion in the form of outwardly projecting arcuate sections 50. The armate sections 50 are of a constant radius and form the lower support for a ray projecting portion which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 52. The ray projecting portion 52 is in the form of a cage formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced upstanding legs 54 whose upper ends are connected together by a ring 56. Carried by the ring 56 and extending upwardly therefrom are crossed bow members 58 whose outlines are best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

While the ray projecting portion 52 is intended to 3 failitate' the-escape of light rays, it also includes a semispherical lens ..60 which ...is retained .in position -by the ring 56 and the bow members 58. Itwill be understood that the lens 60 is in alignment with the longi tu'dinalsaxes ofthe ray projecting-*portiont52 and forms the upper-end ofxthe same.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that disposed within the mine lamp guard is a miners lamp which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 62. The miners lamp 62 includes a battery case 64-'in -Which'-is disposed art-electric battery (not shown). The miners lamp 62 also includes a lamp unit 66 in which is mounted a bulb (not shown). The bulb is connected to the battery and if desired, its operation may be controlled by aconvenient switch (not shown). It will be understood that the'miners lamp 62 is of a conventional construction and is now found in daily use ia -many mines,

(It will vbe notedthat the lamp unit 66 includes'a lens portion68. 'The lens portion 68 isnt a diameter to fit within the arcuate' sections 50 of the frame member 26. Aiso,'the proportions of the cap 14 and the base 12 are such-that'when the lamp unit.66 is mounted on top of the battery case 64 the same are clampingly engaged within the cap and the base.

When the miners lamp 62 is properly positioned withi-n-the lamp guard 10, the light rays emitting therefrom extend'into the ray projecting portion 52. The light rays have a central axis which is coextensive with the axis of the ray projecting portion 52 and are directed toward the lens 60. Portions of the light rays escape between the legs 54 while others of the light rays pass to the lens 60. It Will be understood that the-lens 60 may be red in color, or any other desired color, so as to'be noticeable from a distance.

Referring now to Figure 2 in particular, it will be seen that the lamp guard 10 also includes an inverted J-shaped clip 70. The shorter leg of the J-shaped clip 70 is secured to the rear side of the strap 24 with the longer leg depending down in spaced parallel relation to the back of the base 12. It will be seen that the clip 70 is so proportioned whereby itmay be easily slipped over a rear plate 72 of a mine car so that the lamp guard 10 may be retained in position. The mine guard 10 when so positioned and when having the miners lamp 62 disposed therein becomes a tail lamp or a trip lamp for the mine car.

It will be understood that the mine lamp guard 10 will-be stored in convenient places throughout a mine and that when a trip lamp or the like is required, one of the miners may remove his miners lamp 62 and position the same within the mine lamp guard 10. The mine lamp guard 10 so equipped may then be placed on therearofa minecar tofunction as a safety lamp. Inasmuch as various portions of the mine lamp guard are open construction, coal dust and the like will not pack around the miners lamp 62.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecesssary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as'foilows:

1. An emergency light for mines comprising a housing including a hollow base, a miners lamp including a battery and a case fittingly disposed within said base, a lamp unit seated on said battery case andconnected to said battery, a cap hingedly connected to said base overlying and clampingly engaging said lamp unit, a clip carried by said housing to facilitate mounting of the light, said cap having a protruding ray projecting portion in alignment with said lamp unit, said ray projecting portion forming a cage permitting escape of light from said lamp unit, the outer end of said cage being closed by a lens in alignment with said lamp unit.

2. An emergency light for mines comprising a housing including a hollow base, a miners lamp including a battery and a case fittingly disposed within said base, a lamp unit seated on said battery case connected to said battery, acap hingedly connected to said base .and overlying and clampingly engaging said lamp unit, a clip carried by said housing to facilitate mounting of the light, said cap having a protruding ray projecting portion in alignment with said lamp unit, said ray projecting portion forming a cage permitting-escape of light from said lamp unit, the outer end of said cage being closed by a lens in alignment with said lamp unit, said base and said cap having vertically offset portions in overlapped relation 'tofacilitate positioning .of said battery case and said lamp unit in said housing and the pivoting of said cap to a base-closing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,056,393 Bartley Mar. 18, 1913 1,174,594 'McGitf Mar. 7, 1916 1,341,471 Knoblock llay 25, 1920 1,555,007 Hall Sept. 29, 1925 1,791,358 Henningsen Feb. 3, 1931 

